European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

From the Retiring President

I am writing this final report as President of EPUAP with mixed feelings of achievement but also an awareness that there is still more to do. However, it is always good to start with the positive.

Box 1: The EPUAP / NPUAP Joint Guideline Development Group

EPUAP Members	NPUAP Members
Dr Carol Dealey	Dr Janet Cuddigan
Dr Michael Clark	Dr Diane K. Langemo
Prof. Dr Tom Defloor	Dr Mona M. Baharestani
Dr Lisette Schoonhoven	Mary Ellen Posthauer
Dr Katrien Vanderwee	Dr Joyce Black
Anne Witherow	Evan Call

During the last four years, EPUAP Trustees have worked very hard alongside NPUAP colleagues to review all the current literature on pressure ulcers and develop International Pressure Ulcer Guidelines. What has sometimes seemed like an impossible dream has finally been achieved. I would first of all like to acknowledge all those who have been involved in this endeavour: the Joint EPUAP/NPUAP Guideline Development Group (GDG) (see Box 1); the Small Working Groups for Prevention (see Box 2) and the Small Working Groups for Treatment (see Box 3). Without them we would never have achieved this outcome.

• Aetiology: Cees Oomens (Leader), Dan Bader, Amit Gefen and José Verdu Soriano
• Risk Assessment: Jane Nixon (Leader), Jacqui Fletcher, Alexander Heyneman, Helvi Hietanen, Jeannie Donnely, Khryz Gebhardt, Maureen Benbow, Zena Moore and Katrien Vanderwee
• Skin Assessment: Carol Dealey (Leader), Tom Defloor, Jane Nixon, Lisette Schoonhoven and Katrien Vanderwee
• Positioning: Zena Moore (Leader), Trudie Young, Anna Polak and Hilde Heyman
• Nutrition: Joseph Schols (Leader), Ruud Halfens, Pam Jackson, Gero Langer, Judith Meijers and Hilde Heyman
• Support Surfaces: Lena Gunningberg (Leader), Andrea Bellingeri, Paulo Alves, Mark Collier, Katia Furtado, Jan Weststrate, Erik de Laat and Manuel Gago-Fornells

Box 2: Small Working Group Members for Prevention

• Pressure Ulcer Classification (Grading and Staging): Joyce Black (Leader), Janet Cuddigan, Tom Defloor and Courtney Lyder
• Assessment & Monitoring Healing: Janet Cuddigan (Leader), Susan Garber and Diane Langemo
• Nutrition for Healing: Mary Ellen Posthauer (Leader), Becky Dorner, David Thomas and Steven Black
• Pain Assessment & Management: Diane Langemo (Leader) and Barbara Bates-Jensen
• Support Surfaces for Treatment: Evan Call (Leader), Janet Cuddigan, Joyce Black, Diane Langemo, Susan Garber, Steven Reger, Kim Davis, David Brienza and Steven Black
• Infection Assessment & Treatment: Catherine Ratliff (Leader), George Rodeheaver, Joyce Black, Janet Cuddigan and Greg Schultz
• Cleansing: Catherine Ratliff (Leader), George Rodeheaver and Greg Schultz
• Debridement: Mona Baharestani (Leader) and Diane Langemo
• Dressings: Joyce Black and Laurie McNichol (Co-Leaders), Karen Zulkowski, Sharon Baranoski, Barbara Bates-Jensen and Joann Maklebust
• Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: Joyce Black and Laurie McNichol
• Biophysical Agents: Teresa Conner-Kerr (Leader), Carrie Sussman, Luther Kloth and Laura Edsberg
• Growth Factors: Laura Edsberg (Leader), Greg Schultz, Aimee Garcia and Harold Brem
• Operative Repair: Steven Black (Leader), Joyce Black and Harold Brem
• Palliative Care: Diane Langemo (Leader) and Barbara Bates-Jensen with assistance from Steven Antokal and Nicole Hayes

Box 3: Small Working Group Members for Treatment

In addition, the important strand that has immeasurably strengthened the guidelines is stakeholder involvement. Stakeholders were individuals who signed up to review the draft guideline statements either as a representative of an organisation or as an interested party. They all had the opportunity to comment on the guidelines and identify any literature that had been missed. All such comments were taken extremely seriously by the GDG and the guidelines amended accordingly. Altogether we had 146 organisation representatives from 32 countries and 903 individuals from 53 countries. Not only does this mean that there was a massive interest in the guidelines, but it also means that our guidelines are truly international. Currently they are being translated into a number of different languages including Bulgarian, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish. All translated versions will be available on both EPUAP and NPUAP websites.

Although the guidelines have filled most of my report, I should also mention the very successful conference held in Bruges last September and my thanks go to the local organiser, Professor Tom Defloor and also the Business Office for all their hard work. I must also thank all the Trustees and mention particularly those who have already retired, or are about to retire, namely: Jacqui Fletcher, Helvi Hietenan, Zena Moore and Argentina Vidrascu. I would also like to thank Cees Ooomens for the support he has given me whilst President Elect and wish him every success as the new President of EPUAP.

Carol Dealey
August 2009